The Boston Red Sox have transformed their farm system into a pitching conglomerate since the turn of the decade. With an already-stacked rotation, there are four more pitchers that are going to break through in High-A Greenville this year: Juan Valera, Kyson Witherspoon, Marcus Phillips, & Anthony Eyanson.
Chiefs Baseball Officer Craig Breslow hasn't been shy to trade away some of the Red Sox's pitching prospects since taking over.
The guys he traded were notable, like Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth, among others, to the Chicago White Sox for Garrett Crochet. Hunter Dobbins, an eighth-round draft pick in 2021, was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for their now first baseman Willson Contreras.
Breslow, who was trade-heavy this past offseason, acquired Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo for more pitching depth. With that in mind, the Red Sox rotation for 2026 (for right now) looks like this:
- Garrett Crochet
- Sonny Gray
- Connelly Early
- Ranger Suarez
- Brayan Bello
That's not even including Johan Oviedo in long relief, along with Breslow's second-round left-hander Payton Tolle, who rose through the system last year and is currently in Triple-A Worcester, both of whom are trying to break into the rotation. There's also left-hander Jake Bennett, acquired last offseason as well from the Washington Nationals, who's starting in Triple-A as well, who's trying to make the roster.
But with the four pitchers in Greenville and where they come into the picture, it will mold into a clearer one as this year goes on. Having said that, Red Sox fans have every reason to believe that the aforementioned High-A arms are on track to become something special for different reasons.
Red Sox Have 4 Standout Pitching Prospects in High-A
1. Juan Valera
Juan Valera, at just 19 years old, is going to break through this year. As one of the younger, yet promising pitchers in the Red Sox system, he's developed very quickly as a pro. For starters, he reaches 100 mph on his fastball with great command of the zone.
He has two pitches, his sweeper and his slider, that blend perfectly, and both are out pitches. In addition, he has a changeup that he throws over 90 mph, which does miss bats when it's effective. If there's improvement needed, it's in his command for his breaking pitches. With more reps this season, he'll be able to perfect it and get promoted instantly to Double-A Portland.
2. Kyson Witherspoon
Drafted last year with the 15th overall pick, Kyson Witherspoon is going to be possibly the quickest rising pitcher in the system this year, much like Tolle before him. He, along with Marcus Phillips, is the oldest of the bunch (21). But Witherspoon has a higher floor than Phillips, so he'll be due for a promotion by May if he performs as advertised.
He tops his fastball out at 99 mph with advanced feel for the zone, which is what you generally get out of a seasoned NCAA Division I pitcher. His secondary pitches are what make him stand out over the other three.
He has a cutter and a slider, and both are advanced as well. Since Witherspoon has three key pitches, all he truly needs to refine is his curveball. While he rarely uses a changeup (and is a work in progress), the curveball and how he would improve on his command in the zone with it will truly push him over the edge as a pitcher at the professional level.
Give him one season, and he'll most likely rise to Triple-A Worcester, or maybe even higher if pitchers don't work out on the Red Sox roster.
3. Marcus Phillips
As a player who was originally slated to start his professional career in Low-A Salem, the three recently drafted pitchers (Witherspoon, Eyanson, and Phillips) got together and convinced the Red Sox organization to start all three of them in High-A. The Red Sox believed that the power of the close relationships they created with each other in less than a year, living together in Fort Myers from the summer into the fall and then again in the spring, would motivate them to get the best out of each other.
It was much like the Big Three prospects of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kyle Teel spending so much time together in the minor leagues that they kept them together. The power of friendship lives on in these three pitchers.
In all seriousness, Phillips has a very high ceiling. Standing at 6'4", 245 lbs, the big right-hander throws a mean fastball that topped at an estimated 101 mph. It's an advanced fastball for his age, much like Tolle's, but it needs more command. That is the flaw with Phillips. As he gets more professional experience, his strike-throwing needs to improve from what it was in Tennessee last year. Even with his amazing slider and changeup, he'll need to improve command on those, too.
He'll also need to add another pitch. If he adds something that fits his arsenal like a two-seam fastball to coexist with his four-seam that already has a high rise due to his armslot, he can take off in the minors this year.
He may not make it out of Double-A Portland this year, but he'll be a hot candidate to make the Red Sox roster by 2027.
4. Anthony Eyanson
Falling to the Red Sox with the 87th pick in the draft last year, Anthony Eyanson undoubtedly has more potential than the scouts are projecting. He is a high-floor, lower-ceiling type player, but he may burst through it.
Considering his standout performance in the Spring Breakout game this year against the Baltimore Orioles, where he struck out the side and reached 100 mph on his fastball? He didn't do that last year in LSU; he only topped 97 mph. He needs to start missing bats with his fastball, but that may not be his go-to pitch.
His slider and curveball are the best ones in his arsenal, but his command for both pitches will need work. He also has a changeup that may be dropped for another pitch, as he doesn't do very well with it, but refinement and reps will be the true test on that front.
If he performs well as he did in the Spring Breakout, Eyanson will turn heads automatically. That's why his potential may have been somewhat overlooked. He will be a diamond in the rough in that sense, and if it works out, there's another pitcher just waiting in the wings.
The Future Is Bright in Boston
Even with the endless pitching depth, the Red Sox shouldn't get rid of these guys immediately. They should test the waters and have them pitch in the minors for a full season. Witherspoon, Phillips, and Eyanson's close friendship is hard to come by, and if they can convince the organization to play them together, then it's evident that they, too, can see them as the top pitchers in the Red Sox rotation come 2029.
Much like Mayer, Anthony, Teel, and Campbell before them, these four pitchers may develop into something beautiful. While time is the test, we'll need to wait and see if they live up to their potential.